US Retailers Continue Selling Jewelry from Myanmar, Funding Military Junta

On November 24th, it was revealed that major US online retlers continue to sell jewelry featuring gemstones sourced from Myanmar. This ongoing trade is benefiting the military junta in Myanmar, assisting them financially and enabling their widespread terror campgn agnst the people of Myanmar. Despite imposing sanctions on Myanma Gems Enterprise MGE, the United States has not banned imports of gems, thereby allowing this trade to persist.

Justice For Myanmar discovered listings for jewelry contning rubies and jade sourced from Myanmar through Indian publicly listed company Vbhav Global Limited and sold by retlers Amazon, Walmart, and Overstock. Since the attempted coup on February 1st, Vbhav Global has actively traded in Myanmar gemstones.

Shipping records from Panjiva trade database indicate that there have been at least eight shipments of cut and polished rubies imported to India by Shop LC Global Inc., a major US market for Vbhav Global, since the sanctions were imposed on MGE. These shipments occurred between May 15th and July 14th, 2021.

Further Panjiva data reveals that there have been eight shipments of Myanmar-origin rubies received in India by Vbhav Global's international network post-coup and sanctions agnst MGE. Shipments were received from February 19th to June 3rd within this timeframe. Walmart listed a lesser assortment of Shop LC Myanmar jade and ruby jewelry but removed listings following contact with Justice For Myanmar in October.

Justice For Myanmar contacted Amazon, Overstock, and Walmart regarding their business with Shop LC's jewelry, the sale of gemstones sourced from Myanmar, and rights due diligence on third-party sellers; however, none provided a response.

Vbhav Global also sells jade and gems from Myanmar through Shop LC entities in Germany Shop LC GmBH and The Jewellery Channel TJC in the UK.

In 2018, following the military's campgn of genocide agnst the Rohingya and the threat of gemstone ban, Shop LC promoted a Burmese Ruby Smackdown with an amusing video to boost sales before any ban could occur.

Justice For Myanmar urges members of Congress to support the people of Myanmar by passing the Burma Act of 2021. The act authorizes prohibition on all US imports from Myanmar gemstones, emphasizing that cutting off the junta's sources of revenue is essential for ing violence and fostering a federal democratic state in Myanmar.

Investors in Vbhav Global must uphold their rights responsibilities by divesting unless the company stops trading in Myanmar gemstones.

Consumers play a crucial role too; they should demand disclosure on the country of origin of gems sold by retlers, boycott all Myanmar-origin gems, and advocate for ethical trade practices that respect rights.
This article is reproduced from: https://www.justiceformyanmar.org/stories/us-retailers-trading-in-myanmar-gems-despite-sanctions

Please indicate when reprinting from: https://www.f501.com/Jewelry_Jadeite/Myanmar_Gemstone_Sanctions_Breach.html